PENSACOLA, Fla. (ABP) — A Florida Panhandle pastor whose church was devastated by Hurricane Ivan last year has challenged churches along the Interstate 10 corridor to respond compassionately to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Barry Howard, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., issued the “I-10 Challenge” to church leaders in communities along the nation's southernmost east-west interstate highway, asking them to encourage Christians to give, pray and volunteer time to the relief effort.
Howard issued a threefold challenge to his church members, and he urged other pastors do likewise.
Howard challenged Christians to:
— Give a financial donation equal to 10 hours of wages — either as a lump sum or over a period of weeks — to a denominational disaster-relief offering, the American Red Cross or other established relief organization.
— Volunteer 10 hours of time on a relief team or in a local shelter.
— Pray 10 hours over the next 90 days for the relief, recovery and rebuilding effort.Howard e-mailed the challenge to friends at churches in cities throughout the Southeast, and several responded by saying they planned to issue similar challenges to their church members.
In addition to asking church members to give money and volunteer time for the effort, he also has encouraged other congregations to join his church in “adopting” a displaced family or a damaged church.
For logistical purposes, he suggested churches east of the Mississippi focus on the area from the Mississippi coast eastward, and for churches west of the Mississippi to concentrate on southern Louisiana.
Howard's church in Pensacola sustained more than $2.5 million in damage when Hurricane Ivan hit Florida a year ago. The church held worship services in its fellowship hall for about eight months while the sanctuary was repaired.
“We're about 75 percent rebuilt now,” said Howard, who became First Baptist's pastor less than two months ago, about the same time Hurricane Dennis hit the Florida Panhandle. Dennis caused additional roof and water damage to the church facility.
His church members' experience with hurricanes gives them a special empathy for people in the area where Katrina unleashed its fury, Howard said.
“Our people are storm veterans,” he said. “They learned about patience and perseverance, and they want to help others.”